ANGLICAN SYNOD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1488, 10 July 1912, Page 8

ANGLICAN SYNOD.

Tho -.Anglican Diocesan Synod reassembled in the Sydney Street Schoolroom yesterday afternoon, and concluded its deliberations last night. The Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sproltj presided. AN ACT AMENDED. Archdeacon Harper moved the second reading of a Bill to amend Act IV, by inserting "salaried" after "all" in Clause 12 (i), and in Clause 21 for "parish" mid "salaried lay"; _after Clause 21 insert two new clauses: (1) ''The curate shall have tliu.fcole right of appointment and dismissal of ail voluntary church workers, with the exception of those whoso election is governed by acts or canons of Synod." (2) "Leave of absence from work shall be obtained by the organist, stipendiary lay readers, or deaconesses, and all voluntary church workers from the curate, who shall be responsible for providing a substitute; provided that leavo of absence for a term exceeding one month shall be granted (o salaried parish officers, only with the .approval of the vestry, and no payment from the Church funds shall be offered or made to any substitute without the authority of the vestry." The second reading v;as carried on the voices, and the-Svnod went into committee on the bill, 'l'here the first proposed amendment was lost, and the second was withdrawn, the first of the proposed new clauses was carried and t)ie second amended (at the instance of Archdeacon Harper) by the omission of the words "assistant clergy of the parish, Sunday school workers, clergy, or laity." The bill as amended was reported and passed. TENSION FUND. The Rev. A. S. Innes .Tones moved the second reading of a bill to amend Act VIII (pension fund), by deleting three sub-clauses (a), (b), tc), and inserting, viz.: "A sum of .£5 for each year of office until the applicant has reached the. _ age of G5 years, or until a maximum of ,£2OO is reached," and in the following paragraph delete sub-clauses "n" and "b," inserting "shall be entitled to three-fifths of such clergyman's pension." Tho Rev. C. H. Isaacson seconded the motion.

Mr. Shirtcliffe regretted that the bill had been brought in at such a late hour of tho Synod, and urged postponement of the matter until further investigation bo made to discover the financial soundness of the fund to meet whatever claims might arise.

Mr. Henderson, while favouring the principle of the. Bill, said he was opposed to doing anything likely to fail in its purpose through financial unsoundness. Archdeacon C'assell supported ' the Bill in the interests of the deserving clergy.

Archdeacon Fancourt, who spoke from intimate acquaintance with the Pension Act from inception to date, disregarded the actuarial phase of the question. All the actuaries had reported adversely, but (here was the saving clause in the Act that in the event of the fund'beiiig insufficient, claims were to bo met pro_ rata. He argued that, as in the case of life insurance, the fund was stronger than actuaries admitted.

The-Bishop remarked upon the fact lost sight of by the actuaries that a number of the clergy left the diocese without their becoming a charge on flie funds. He spoke of the small number of claimants on 'llie pension fund during his association with the diocese.

The Rev. E. J. Jones also said the £100 per year provided was a miserable apology for maintenance. Mr. M'ilbevf'oss, while believing (hat every Synodsmau would like to see the. pensions increased, regretted that lie felt, compelled-to onpose the Bill. Mr. C. ?. Po'wlps offered an amendment, which (Archdeaeoii Harrier pointed out) was on the same lilies as last year. Several short speeches followed. Mr. Henderson urged making use of the National Provident Fund if available.

The Rev. Innes Jones, replying, indicated what might occur in'five years under his Bill and held that the fund of ,£21,000 could stand the additional charge. The Rev. I!. Voung said that it appeared the . only thing tlio clergy would look.forward to was a decent epitaph.

The second reading was lost on division.

On tlio motion, of Archdeacon Harper, the third reading of the Bill to amend the Parochial Districts Act was carricd, and tlio Bill passed. The following resolutions were carried: That the thanks of the Synod be accorded to Mrs. H. S. Hadfield and Mrs. .1. AV. Marshall for their generous benefacHon of .£ISOO as a special trust for a. Bishop Hadfield Scholarship at Bishpp Hadfield -Memorial College. The, following resolutions were adopted by the Synod: (1) That the trustees of Hadfield College consider the advisability of charging, a. remunerative rate. (2) That the matter of providing a. fijnd for church-building bo approved by the Synod. the following 'committee'being set up in the matter—The Bishop, Archdeacon Harper, Rev. TO. I. Sola, Messrs. Henderson, Shirtcliffe, i Wilberfoss, Salmon, Flux ond Button. (3) That the ministers be supported jn their endeavour to raise a loan by the issue of debentures for the purpose of enlarging the Diocesan Girls' School at Marton, and of raising capital necessary for acquiring the property. Tlio Synod also adopted the following resolution: That it be a recommendation to the authorities of all parishes and parochial districts, when the Sunday for any special offertory is wet, to adopt such method of making up the deficiency on a subsequent Sunday as may seem to them expedient. Formal votes of thanks .were moved by the Bishop and by the Rev. V.H. Kitcat in appreciation of the hospitality and kindness of Wellington residents to visiting Synodsmen. The Synod concluded at 10.55 p.m.